Spiffy:

Iffy:

Camera issues continue to get in the way of the fun; may be too challenging for many players.

In a world infested by annoying adolescent ninjas, anthropomorphic amphibian ninjas, and ninja-themed web sites pretending to be the authorities on interpersonal relationships, it's good to know that you can always depend on Team Ninja and Ryu Hayabusa to keep it real, as in the upcoming Ninja Gaiden II.

How Are You Going to Kill Today?

Ryu Hayabusa is one of the definitive videogame characters. Action games are measured against his repertoire. While his combat moves rely on a light attack and a strong attack like in many other games, Ryu can unleash dozens of different attacks by utilizing modifiers like moving and striking, jumping, different combo chains, and charged strikes. He can also make use of ninpo, or ninja magic, the definitive example of which is the ability to produce deadly rings of flame, perfect for smiting crowds of enemies. And of course there are his ranged attacks, starting with basic shuriken and a new improved bow, which can now charge up for an essence strike, just like its melee counterparts.

Part of what makes Ninja Gaiden II so appealing is that there are numerous ways to approach any one fight, and exploring Ryu's expansive toolset is incredibly fun. You can play evasively, with frequent dodges and jumps to set up aerial decapitations or longer reach moves. Or you can just put up your block and deflect a combo, hoping to have the proper timing to counter-attack safely. While blocking is a key aspect of combat, you can't simply hold down the trigger and look for an opening: enemies can and frequently will break through your guard, and some will use grapple techniques that can't be defended in this way.

It's all very satisfying yet very challenging. The difficulty of Ninja Gaiden has been regarded as a measuring stick by which gamers can identify their prowess, and this time around it's no different. While Ninja Gaiden II will introduce multiple difficulty levels, starting with the Path of the Acolyte for those who want as little challenge as possible, the very nature of the game design will force players to get with the program quickly. Even an Acolyte can't take too many sword blows to the face before keeling over, and the game's smarter, stronger enemies will make short work of any ninja not on their toes.

One way in which things have changed since the previous Ninja Gaiden is in the new dismemberment system. Particular attacks can lop off limbs outright, leaving a spray of blood and a very disappointed bad guy behind. One-armed or one-legged enemies aren't necessarily out of the fight, though. Dismembered enemies are in fact far more dangerous than fresh, live opponents. They seem set aside their self-preservation instincts after losing a limb or two, and raise the stakes by going after you with a live grenade pinned to their chests. The trick is to keep them from getting close after being dismembered, lest you want to suffer a powerful explosion and a huge hit to your life pool.